Andijk farmer pioneers hydrogen technology
Tulip nursery Rainbow Colors in Andijk is the first agricultural company in the world to install a solid oxide electrolyzer for the production of sustainable hydrogen. With a capacity of 1 megawatt, this installation is among the largest operational solid oxide electrolyzers worldwide and represents a significant milestone in the development of hydrogen in Noord-Holland NoordThe project is being implemented in collaboration with the Danish company Dynelectro. The necessary infrastructure is being developed by the Dutch company Ekinetix. The installation will then be implemented and tested in the regional initiative Fieldlab Hydrogen in Agri, which is working on a hydrogen network for agriculture in Noord-Holland Noord.
Rainbow Colors tulip nursery and green hydrogen production
Rainbow colors Andijk is one of the pilot locations within the project where hydrogen production has been underway since 2023. By using surplus solar power for hydrogen production, combined with battery storage, hydrogen can be produced continuously. Solid oxide electrolyzers are more efficient and less susceptible to wear and tear than traditional electrolyzers. Thanks to the longer lifespan and higher efficiency of this installation, the cost of hydrogen is reduced. This creates a regional solution for grid congestion and increases the availability of this emission-free energy carrier.
Groundbreakingly, Rainbow Colors is not only the first agricultural user of the solid oxide electrolyser, but it will also be the third-largest operational installation in the world. This makes Rainbow Colors a model for other agricultural businesses in Noord-Holland Noord seeking local solutions to grid congestion and high energy costs, as well as other parties considering using a solid oxide electrolyser.
Beau Broen, project manager New Energy Coalition and coordinator of the hydrogen pilot projects within Fieldlab Waterstof in Agri says: “It’s impressive to see how international innovation is coming together in this project. By implementing Dynelectro’s electrolyser at project partner Rainbow Colors, the region is taking an important step towards decentralized hydrogen production. It also offers the region an economic boost by making affordable green hydrogen available. The project underscores the innovative role Noord-Holland Noord plays in the energy transition.”
Impact for the Netherlands
The commissioning of this hydrogen production facility will create local availability of affordable, green hydrogen in the Netherlands. This marks a significant step toward resolving the chicken-and-egg dilemma surrounding green hydrogen. By cleverly utilizing surplus sustainable energy in the region, hydrogen can be produced at a competitive cost of less than €10 per kilogram and deployed directly within the region. This will allow new developments in the hydrogen market to truly take off.
This approach shows that hydrogen is not only a promise for the future, but in Noord-Holland Noord already offers a concrete and accessible alternative for entrepreneurs who want to switch to emission-free energy.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Andijk farmer pioneers hydrogen technology, source
